New Delhi: The Supreme Court today rejected the bail plea of self-styled godman Santosh Raul alias Sarathi Baba in a case pertaining to alleged sexual exploitation of a woman and her daughter at his Barimul ashram in Kendrapara district. A two-member division bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi rejected Santosh’s bail […]

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today rejected the bail plea of self-styled godman Santosh Raul alias Sarathi Baba in a case pertaining to alleged sexual exploitation of a woman and her daughter at his Barimul ashram in Kendrapara district.

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today granted conditional bail to self styled godman Santosh Raul alias Sarathi Baba in a case of alleged misuse and cheating in the name of religious institutions.

Imposing restrictions, Justice CR Das directed Santosh Raul for not entering Barimula Ashram and debarred from holding rallies. Other conditions of bail shall be imposed as the SDJM Court, Kendrapara may deem fit, directed the court.

Sarathi Baba was arrested by the CBI on charges of cheating and harassing Kendrapara based Mamata Swain and her mother along with exploiting medical student Rojalin on August 8, 2015 and since then he was lodged in the Choudwar Caircle Jail.

The alleged Godman was charged under Sections 120-B, 420, 467, 341, 379 and 506 of IPC along with Section 3 of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Section 25 of Arms Act and Section 7 of the Religious Institutions (Prevention of Misuse) Act.